Reflection and peer assessment to promote self-directed learning in higher education

Reflection and peer assessment as pedagogical approaches were implemented through a group project in this study aimed to transform students into reflective and self-directed learners thereby enhancing their competence and learning achievements. To support students’ learning progress and evaluate their learning outcomes, formative and summative assessments were conducted halfway through and at the end of the project, respectively, under the guidance of the course instructor. Self-reflection as a systematic reviewing process during the formative assessment enabled students to critically evaluate their own learning behavior and identify intrinsic learning needs, while team members were encouraged to provide constructive feedback to peers which could play a crucial role in improving their overall learning experiences. In contrast, the summative assessment exercise allowed students to grade their peers within each group considering pre-assigned criteria as guided by the course instructor. The summative assessment indicated contrasting performance among the two participating groups, which could be attributed to their differences in active engagement, peer interactions, and collaborative learning during the project that eventually influenced the group's performance. Though both teams were comparable in terms of competence, effective collaboration and organization among group members supplemented the learning process and turn their performance distinct. However, in some cases, the realization of learning needs was not transformed into necessary actions, which was eventually reflected in the group performance. Overall, this study demonstrated that reflection and peer assessment practice are conducive to the development of critical thinking and self-directed learning among students, which can augment their learning experiences at the university level. Keywords: Self-directed learning, active learning, reflective practices, formative assessment, contructivism, transformative learning theory.